AthFest Educates has announced its fall grant recipients. The organization, dedicated to advancing high-quality music and art education for Athens area youth in grades k-8, awarded grants totaling $26,251. $11,430 was awarded for grants for music and arts programs and experiences, $14,153 for instruments and equipment, and $668 for professional development related grants.
The largest grant went to the Clarke Middle School music program, which will receive $5,650 worth of instruments, including three 1/4-size double bass and two 1/8-size double bass instruments. Barrow, JJ Harris, Whit Davis, and Whitehead Elementary schools also will receive music and art equipment grants, as well as Hilsman Middle.
Other schools receiving grants for professional development, and programs and experiences are Howard B. Stroud Elementary School, W.R. Coile Middle School and Alps Road Elementary. In addition to public schools, AthFest Educates awards grants to community agencies. This period AthFest Educates awarded grants to East Athens Community Center for an after-school art program, Experience UGA to bring all CCSD 3rd graders to a live performance of Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales by the UGA Children’s Theatre Troupe, Nuci’s Space for scholarships for Camp Amped After School programs, and the YWCO of Athens for girls in their Summer Girls Club to participate in a week-long drama program. A full list of grantees and descriptions of their AthFest Educates grant are on the AthFest Educates website athfesteducates.org.
Kitty Meyran, YWCO Executive Director said, “Through a partnership with ACC Leisure Services’ Athens Creative Theatre, this grant will help us introduce our girls to the world of drama through the “Monologues and More” program. This award-winning program developed by Terry Powell, Director of ACT, is designed to help build confidence in public speaking, develop empathy by role-playing, improve our campers’ verbal skills, and more. We are thrilled and honored that AthFest Educates is helping to support this effort.”
The awards this grant cycle brings the total to date that AthFest Educates has donated to local teachers and educators to $211,000.